Counting Stars
by bubblegumballet
Summary: Marni Hall and her 2 bffs love to sing and work at the same hotel where BTR is staying at. When Gustavo runs across them goofing off after work one day his collegue Alexa Roberts agrees to put out some demos for them throwing them into the world of fame.
1. Run In With Fame

Chapter One: Meeting

"La la la la la la la la," I sang in tune to pachabel's canon in D. It was currently playing on my mp3 player which I had plugged in, while I was cleaning up one of the room in the hotel. A tall long haired brunette, with Arabic style features and skin, was dusting, while a shorter short haired red head was in the bathroom cleaning.

"Oh my gosh please change it Marni. I'm so tired of classical, it's all my uncle Rex ever plays," Susie Mustafa, the Arabic girl said.

"I agree with Susie, on this one sorry," Autumn Cornwall said sticking her head out of the bathroom door.

"Fine. What would the queens of pop suggest?" I answered back mockingly. I saw Susie contemplate what she wanted to listen to before running over to the stereo and switching my mp3 player to a new song. She put on Big Time Rush, before stepping in beat to the song beck to her duster. While she dusted she was in step to the song. "You're obsessed."

"No I just happen to thing James is hot," she said with a shrug. Autumn came out of the bathroom pushing the cart.

"Hey would one of you help me put the sheets on here please," I said looking at Susie then Autumn, who was the one who ended up helping. She pulled on the left side of the bed while I pulled them over the right side.

"It would rock if they were having a concert here soon," she said with a heavy sigh.

"Don't they have a concert here in Tampa tomorrow?" Autumn asked looking at Susie, as we folded the blanket down to reveal the pillows.

"I meant a concert we could actually go to," she responded plopping down on the bed. Autumn and I sat down on either side of her.

"What's wrong with tomorrow?" I asked looking at her a little confused.

"A we work tomorrow night, and B we don't even have tickets, plus since when do either of us make enough in one day to buy tickets to the hottest pop group around," she said pointing out some very good points.

"We could do it. We could trade Sarah, Claire, and Peggy for their shift tonight and they could have our shift tomorrow," I suggested looking at the two.

"They're waitresses, not maids, and they probably wouldn't go for it any ways," she responded falling onto her back on the bed. "Oh don't be a party pooper maybe they'll agree. Give me a minute," I said standing up and going out in the hall with my cell phone. As the dial tone rang across my receiver I heard a small click and then Sarah's high pitched voice rang out.

"What do you want squirt?" she spat out and I could hear the roll of her eyes in her voice.

"What would you say if Autumn, Susie and I took over your shift tonight?" I asked in my most enthusiastic voice.

"I'd say what's the catch?" she answered in an annoyed tone.

"Well now that you ment-" I said but was hit by a passer by on accident.

"I'm so sorry," he said handing me the phone that had dropped on the floor.

"No it's ok. It was my fault," I said looking at the four of them that were covered in trench coats, sunglasses, and hats.

"Squirt? SQUIRT?!!!" I heard yell from my receiver. I looked down at the phone.

"Right um…" I said into the speaker and watched as the boys went into the room we were cleaning. "Oh yeah, we were wondering if you would take our shifts tomorrow night?" I said shyly and there was a long pause on the other end before her voice came over again.

"Alright, whatever, we'll take you're shifts," she said and the dial tone came across the phone as she hung up.

"Ok I got the ok, I told you-"I said stepping back in the room and freezing the instant I turned around from shutting the door. Before me were the members of Big Time Rush. "Please tell me I did not just suck up to Sarah for nothing," I said taking steps towards my purse which was on top of the cart of cleaning supplies.

"Oh no, because we still needed someone to cover our shifts tomorrow," Susie answered from next to James.

"Of course," I sighed as Autumn appeared at my side and whispered in my ear.

"Question. Why is Big Time Rush in the room were cleaning?" she asked pulling back and giving me a confused look. I opened my mouth to say something and when nothing came out I just shrugged and held my hands up in surrender. "At that, where are we getting these waitress uniforms?" she asked looking at both me and Susie. "Am I the only one who thinks about these things?" she asked. I looked at Susie before we both answered in synchronization.

"Yes," we both said giving her the look we always give her when we want to slightly annoy her.

"Rude," she said grabbing her bag from the ground. "We'll get out of your way," she said placing the bag on the cart and pushing it to the door.

"Susie!" I yelled from the doorway and I saw her come at an almost run towards me.

"He's even hotter in person," she sighed after the door was shut. I extended my hand out for her to place my mp3 player in but it remained empty and I stopped about four doors away from the beginning. "It's still in the room," she answered cringing a bit.

"Cool go make an annoyance of myself, why not?!" I said sarcastically walking back to the door and knocking. The tall blonde one which I had came to know as Kendall Knight answered the door. He gave a confused look before I answered it. "Susie left my mp3 player connected to your stereo." He gave me an oh look and turned around.

"Hey James toss me the mp3 player hooked up to the stereo," he called into the room. I heard an ok come from somewhere around the mini bar. A second later Kendall was handing me the tiny black square.

"Fair be warned, they scam you on the nuts," I said before turning on a heel and walking back towards where Susie and Autumn had the cart.


	2. Change

Chapter Two Change

"No way," I answered back to them as I stacked a chair. Autumn had accused me of semi flirting with Kendall. "He didn't even say anything me. That's not how you flirt with a girl," I reminded them. "Now Susie was definite in flirt mode."

"Oh darling, darling you know how it is," she said doing her best impression of her great aunt Shirley who's Russian, with the thickest accent ever. We all broke out into an uncontrollable fit of giggles. "So what if I was, it's all in my best interest if I do say so myself, which I do," she said wiggling her eyebrows. At the same time, the pianist for the dinner time came in with sheet music and sat down at the piano.

"Hey Max. What's up?" Autumn said skipping over to him and sitting on the piano bench next to him.

"Well I was thinking about that song you were sing the other day, Marni, and I tweaked it a little," he answered looking at me before hitting the play button on the remote. "And go," he said pointing to the first word on the sheet.

"Once upon a time, I believe was a Tuesday when I caught your eye, and we caught something, I hold on to the night, you looked me in the eyes and told me you loved me, were you just kidding? 'Cause it seems to me, this thing is breaking down we almost never speak, I don't feel welcome anymore baby what happened please tell me cause one second it was perfect now your half way out the door," I sang out loud along with my music playing through the speakers. That was the cool part about working at night. Since the dinning room closed at eleven we got to hang out while listening to music and putting up chairs.

"And I stare at the phone, he still hasn't called and then you feel so low you can't feel nothing at all and you flashback to when he said forever and always. Oh, and it rains in your bedroom everything is wrong, it rains when you're here and it rains when you're gone, 'cause I was there when you said forever and always," we ended up singing in unison. After the word always we broke out into laughter leaning over the piano.

"You guys should consider going pro," Max said and I heard a small squeak, but didn't think much of it.

"Yes, Max, three girls, one problem, let's see how this would pan out," I said. "We would sing a little, be told we have no talent, be crushed at the young age of sixteen and coming running back to Tampa with our tails between our legs."

"I'm with Marni on this one, even though statistically since there are three of us we have a higher chance of making it, but still the chances are low," Autumn said looking at the three of us.

"You guys are so kill joys we could do it if we really wanted too," Susie said climbing up on top of the piano. "Think about we sing better than the entertainment the hotel hires. We would be shoe in's," she said looking at Autumn and I.

"To be a shoe in you need to wear shoes," I pointed out looking at her bare feet. "Oh cute pedicure," I said looking at her toes, turning the conversation topic.

"No changing the topic," she said sitting down on the edge next to Autumn. "We just have to figure out what we would do to achieve it," she said jumping up again. "But I believe in whatever you, and I'll do anything to see it through," she sang out. I climbed up there and stood up with her before joining in. "Because these things will change can you feel it now, these walls that they put up to hold us back will fall down, it's a revolution, the time will come for us to finally win," we sang before looking at Autumn. She rolled her eyes and climbed up next to me.

"We'll sing hallelujah, we'll sing hallelujah, ooooh," she sang out as loud as she could. "So we've been out numbered, when we've been out cornered, it's time to fight when the fight ain't fair."

"We're getting stronger now from things they never found they might be bigger but we're faster and never scared. You can walk away say we don't need this, but there's something in your eyes says we can beat this," I sang finishing up the second verse.

"Very good." We heard from behind us and turned to see Kendall, Logan, James, Carlos, Gustavo Rocque, and three other girls. In panicked shock Autumn stepped backwards and slipped. Luckily Susie and I were use to her shyness taking her over the edge…literally, so we caught her just as she was about to fall completely backwards. From the corner of my eye I saw the Big Time Rush crowd jump towards her.

"I guess I'll never fulfill that dream of mine to be a dancer," she whispered to me with a quiet giggle.

"That was always my dream sweetie," I said out loud. She was scarlet red and you could tell she was embarrassed, after all her star crush was standing about ten yards away from her holding back laughter.

"I'm gonna die," she said to Susie and I turning around so her back was to them.

"It wasn't that bad, honey," I said jumping off the piano and holding out my hands so she could jump down. She'd never been good with jumping. She took it and got down and then Susie jumped down with the help of one hand. "Besides no one noticed," I lied handing her, her bag.

"Uhuh," she responded with a slight glare.

"Logan didn't notice anything," Susie reassured her rubbing her arm.

"Um, hello? Mega producer right here," Gustavo said pointing to his face. I rolled my eyes before walking around the piano to stand on the same side as the guests.

"Dinner was done about an hour ago. Although room service delivers even in the dead of night, if you wish to eat something," Susie told them jumping up to sit on the piano.

"Look bottom line?" Gustavo asked and both Autumn and I cocked your head at the same time in opposite directions so they were tilted towards each other. "My colleague just lost her singer to the competition. She needs a new talent, do you want the spot or not?"

"Yes," Susie answered curtly and Autumn and I both turned towards her quickly with a what in the world look.

"Great we'll get your information from the hotel good night," he said and walked out.

"Wait! She does not speak for all of us!" I called after him. Big Time Rush and two of the unknowns were still in the room. I looked down and pursed my lips.

"As fun as this is, and let me assure you it's a dang awesome time, if we don't get to Julia's we're pretty much dead," Autumn said turning and grabbing her jacket.

Julia is my godmother. See I stay with her, my older sister, Gabriella, and younger brother, Todd, whenever my parents are away. They trust her to make life altering decisions. They're currently away on the twelfth honeymoon, to Tokyo, Japan. I always thought they were slightly crazy for having twelve honeymoons.

"Oh I'm Mrs. Knight by the way. This is my daughter Katie," the older woman stranger said motion to herself and then her daughter, who stood beside her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Susie Mustafa," Susie answered back. "That's Autumn Cornwall and Marni Hall," she continued motioning to each of us as she said our names. In return we each gave a slight wave. A slight beeping noise came from my purse letting me know if we didn't get home soon I'd be dead.

"Well that's our cue," I said digging through my purse for my phone. "Night, it was a pleasure to meet you all," I said with a wave before turning and walking out. I heard similar exchanges go on behind me before Susie and Autumn linked arms with me. Outside one of the heavy Florida lightning and thunder storms was raging on. We got hit with rain the second we stepped outside. "Oh I love the rain!" I squealed as the rain splashed me in the face.

"I swear you should've been born a mermaid or something," Autumn laughed at me as I did a twirl on the sidewalk.

"This coming from the logical one," I laughed back at her as Susie grabbed my hands and we skipped in a circle.

"Oh whatever. I like to let my hair down every so often!" she yelled over a crack of thunder. "Come on Julia's gonna kill us!" she said tugging on my hand before running off down the street, Susie and I following close behind her. See my parents apartment, where Julia stays to watch us, is about two blocks away from the hotel, we work at, and Susie and Autumn live in the same complex, so we always walk to work, never drive.

Peter the night manager for the apartment lobby let us in and gave us each a towel to attempt to dry off with before bombarding Julia with our wet selves. The elevator ride was interesting. My neighbor Ms. Smith, a woman in her eighties, and her dog spot rode up with us and stayed as far away from us as possible. She was not one to get her dog wet. The instant we got into the apartment Julia scolded us for being so late, before sending us each to a different bathroom to take a shower. After that we crashed, or at least that's what I remember doing. The whole night blurred into one black blob, but we're all betting I was just the first asleep like always.

* * *

A.N. - All song royalties go to Taylor Swift. I love music i just can't write it, sorry.


End file.
